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S is for Saraswati (Hindu Pantheon) #AtoZChallenge

Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts and nature–everything that flows (like water)–the knowledge of the divine, of nature–not learned or academic knowledge. Her four arms symbolize the four elements required for the human learning of divine knowledge–mind, intellect, ego, alertness (awareness) which is needed for the final liberation of the soul. She is often depicted seated on a lotus, which represents knowledge, with a scroll in two hands and the veena, a musical instrument in the other two. Her worshipers often offer her honey, which was believed to represent perfect knowledge.
Along with Lakshmi and Parvati, the three women form a trinity, which united form part of the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva–creation, maintenance and destruction.

Saraswati also appears as a goddess of the Jain, an Indian religion that espouses non-violence toward all living things as well as spiritual independence. For those Firefly lovers out there, interesting irony for the character, Jain, don’t you think?